Abbott: Britain needs more migrants from east Europe
BRITAIN needs more eastern European migrants, Diane Abbott has said, as she called for regulations to be eased after Brexit to make it easier for EU citizens to come to the UK.
The shadow home secretary said a Labour government would “get rid of some of the bureaucracy”.
Speaking on BBC One’s The Andrew Marr Show, she said business, schools and the health service “need eastern European migrants coming here”.
She said: “The health service is very worried about a collapse in the number of EU migrants coming here.
“Social care would be in a terrible position, the health service, finance, education, so we will be listening as the government should be listening to what business and the public sector says about its needs for labour.
“At this point, both business and public services like health and education are saying we do indeed need these eastern European migrants that are coming here.
“The reality is that business, the CBI, the Institute of Directors, but also health, education and social care, they say that they need these European migrants and we have to listen to them.”
Meanwhile, Tom Watson said he believed Jeremy Corbyn would sack him as his deputy if Labour won the next general election.
Asked on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Pienaar’s Politics if the shadow cabinet minister expected to be deputy prime minister, he said: “I probably doubt it … I think he [Mr Corbyn] would probably give it to Emily Thornberry.”
Pushed on whether there could be a Labour government soon, he replied: “Do I think Labour can win the next election, whenever it happens? I think yes.”